The Jorhat unit of AASU, Jagannath Barooah College AASU unit and the students’ union of Jagannath Barooah College have demanded legal action against all those who are spreading communal hatred in the society.
This comes in the wake of a few stanzas of the poem, ‘Moi Axomiya’, penned by legendary Assamese litterateur late Syed Abdul Malik, being uploaded on social media with a scurrilous attempt to malign his image and foment communal hatred.
Syed Abdul Malik, who taught at Jorhat’s Jagannath Barooah College, was a Padmabhusan Awardee and a former president of Assam’s apex literary body, Asam Sahitya Sabha (ASS).
A delegation of Jorhat district unit of AASU along with the students’ union and JB College unit of AASU on Wednesday submitted a memorandum to the Jorhat superintendent of police seeking an investigation into the matter immediately.
They demanded that a prompt and strong action be taken under the provisions of law against those who are found to be involved in the act.
A statement issued by Jorhat district AASU assistant general secretary and advisor of Jorhat regional unit of the students’ body, Bijoy Shankar Bordoloi said an unscrupulous person was trying to spread communal hatred by misinterpreting a few stanzas of the famous poem, ‘Moi Axomiya’, composed by Syed Abdul Malik, by uploading only a few lines of the poem on the social media
Bordoloi said Syed Abdul Malik is one of the greatest literary figures of Assamese literature.
‘Moi Axomiya’ is a poem on gallantry which praises the prowess of the Assamese installing the Mughals from invading Assam.
The statement further said many others too had posted highly objectionable and hate-mongering comments below the said post which was a crime under law for trying to foment communal hatred among the public.
Bordoloi said the AASU unit of Jagannath Barooah College, the students’ union body of the college and Jorhat district unit of AASU, while condemning the act of defaming the great icon of Assamese society (Syed Abdul Malik) and trying to fan communal hatred, has demanded strong legal action against the persons involved in the despicable act.
Rupa Rani Bhuyan, who teaches English at Mangaldai College, created controversy by uploading a post on her Facebook page where she claimed that through the poem, ‘Moi Asomiya’, poet Syed Abdul Malik glorified the Mughals.
Earlier, the Sadou Asom Goria-Moria-Deshi Jatiya Parishad lodged an FIR against Bhuyan at Hatigaon police station.
Former Asam Sahitya Sabha president Paramananda Rajbongshi and several other litterateurs have also condemned the Facebook post criticising Syed Abdul Malik.